How often should I get a massage?

by Miranda Cacek profile 5 Views, 0 Comments

My specialty for massage is pregnancy and postpartum massage and this is a question I hear a lot, especially from women who are just entering their second trimester and experiencing dramatic shifts in their body.

I recommend scheduling massage on a regular basis for a few reasons.

-Pregnancy is full of changes and the one’s that happen to your body during pregnancy are unpredictable. Maintaining a regular massage schedule will help you stay on top of those changes and minimize the aches and pains that can occur during pregnancy.

-There’s no need to suffer through achy hips or sore shoulders. 9 months will seem like 90 if you are miserable in your body. Massage can help. And using the pain as ‘practice’ for labor is unfair to you and will only make you more miserable. There are two different kinds of pain when it comes to labor– one kind telling you your body is working and another telling you something is wrong. The pain you feel from sore hips and shoulder is the second kind of pain. Get help and get it quick. You will feel so much better both physically and mentally which will help you through those nine months of changes so much easier.

-Massage can help you prepare for the upcoming birth. Having a regular time and space to settle in your body, breathe deeply, and connect with your unborn baby is one of the most useful tools you can use for birth. Relaxation takes practice and tuning into your baby takes practice, too. When you go into labor the relaxation skills you practiced during your regular massage sessions will kick in instinctively. Women often say that they attribute their easier labors to regular massage sessions and found it easier to relax and focus, as well as be in tune with their body and their baby because that's what they did during their massage sessions.

-Getting regular sessions during pregnancy is a preparation for taking care of yourself after the baby comes too. You need a time and space for someone to listen to and take care of you. Motherhood is a time when we so often sacrifice our personal comfort for those around us. This is a time when regular massage sessions are crucial to our own well-being. Many women say they did not feel ‘put back together again’ until they had that first massage after the baby came. Having regular massage sessions will save your body and your sanity.

You can receive massage as early as the first trimester and as late as the day you go into labor (and even during labor, but that's another topic).

You can also receive massage within 24 hours of giving birth either at the hospital or in your home. Many people don't realize that the postpartum period actually lasts 2 years- not 6 weeks, so continuing your massage sessions will benefit you immensely for years to come.

Miranda Cacek is a Certified Massage Therapist and is Certified in Pregnancy, Labor, and Postpartum Massage. She has a private practice in the Uptown area of Denver and over 90% of her practice is pregnancy and postpartum massage.

Comments

No comments

Only registered users can comment. Interested? Register